We've launched our #SeeSportyBeSporty Campaign Calling For Sport In The Media To Be More Gender Equal

October 2018

LESS THAN 3% OF SPORTS PHOTOS IN

NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS ARE OF WOMEN

Our research, published today reveals that less than 3% of photographs of sport in the newspapers show women playing sport. We are 33 times more likely to see a man playing sport in the newspapers than a woman.

We work with girls and female school staff building confidence in sport. Our research, completed over the course of a year, looked at photographs in the UK’s top national daily newspapers, and the gender split of sports photographs.

Our founder, former UK Champion 200m runner and founder of the company Emily Freeman spoke today as we launched the “See Sporty Be Sporty” campaign. “By age 7 girls are 22% less likely to call themselves “very sporty” than boys, although they will call themselves “quite sporty”, so it’s not something they aren’t interested in. It’s a matter of confidence. Without seeing women being sporty there is a very strong message being sent to girls, and other women for that matter, that being sporty isn’t a “girly” thing to do. What damage might that be doing to girls and their expectations for themselves?”

#SeeSportyBeSporty is a campaign calling for sport in the media to be more gender equal. Sportspeople and the public are being asked to show their support by signing an online petition (https://www.change.org/p/all-uk-newspapers-seesportybesporty) and sharing photos of themselves on social media using #SeeSportyBeSporty to raise awareness.

Fellow Team GB runner and World Championships medallist (and our awesome national ambassador!) Jenny Meadows has already pledged her support. “I’m a huge advocate for raising confidence and aspiration levels in young women. I can’t wait to take this work national with Totally Runable.”